Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-26


4V(kSI imam, of active nerves and
N3NNMNNN &skSY &k!shattered health. Across
M&&SSNNSXhi his brow are the marks re-
E&%4.%&HNSSSAceived when q shell from
NT the Merrimac struck the
ADMIRAL woRDBN. sightslot in the pilot house
and dashed his face with o spray of powder and
hot iron. He is slow to speak OF his own deeds.
Through courtesy to the STAR man he was induced
to tell briefly the story OF the Monitor. He has
been often asked to write the story or to dictate
it to others, but heretofore he has refused
TIE ADNIRALs STORY.
81 came up from Mexico" he said to TIE STAB
man, tat the very beginning OF uncoln's admins
tration. was then lieutenant. was In q ter
rble state OF health. was suffering with Kidney
disease was lying about, trying to get better,
when, on the I'd OF April, 1861. was ordered to
report to Admiral s. H. Stringham, at Washing
ton, for special duty in connection with the discp
line and efficiency Of the naval forces reported
in Washington April 9th, and was informed that
Admiral Stringham was to be relieved and ordered
to command the North Atlantic squadron. asked
to be relieved from the duty had just been ordered
Department consented to this That night~it was
Saturday, believe-that night, near IL
sary Of the Navy, Gideon wslles, ' who in
formed me that he wanted me to go to Pensacola
with dispatch for Capt. Adams. commanding
naval forces on that harbOr. This was when the
Confederate commissioners were at Washington,
and they had been trying to fix up matters, and
then EXISTING re nV the % & Wasa
ington and the government At Aontgomery:
Tnsse o.. was to carry we
to prevent its capture By the confed:
crates There was great danger 81 my being
on the way The excitement was ss nun
into the hands Of the Condolences read them
carefully, SO as to commit them to memory. and,
| thing was in wild state soldiers were drunk and
shooting their pistols out OF the car windows and
that - Should BE- abe 70 get
went at once to the hotel but thereI found crowds
known down there. so I thought that was
no place for me. found quarters elsewhere. In
the morning ! was looking about for a boat to get
to Captain Adams, when an officer (COnfederate)
| stepped up to me and asked II was an on1cer.
knew him; he had been banker there, but he did
and he asked Of which army. told him Of the
United States Navy, and explained that was
there under the Montgomery Washington agree
ment to Captain Adams He said had better re-
port to General Bragg, and, as there was boat
Just Just then going to the generals head9parters
practically put under arrest.
GEN. BRACES MISTAKE.
81 was introduced to General Bragg, who ques-
toned me soma and told him 1 wanted to get to
see Captain Adams, continued the admiral. "'You
have dispatches for him, suppose he said re-
piled that had communication nom the War
Department, and he at once wrote me out q pass.
Afterward, to cover up his mistake in letting me
pass, he asserted that had assured him that had
only verbal message to Captain Adams Of pa
cifc nature. This statement OF General BraggS
was utterly and unquaiifedly false. However, he
committed the blunder OF letting me through, and
rewrote and delivered the orders to Capt. Adams.
nnnfo otocn no nat hot ffl<Nk mo IA
Gen. Bragg's headquarters talked freely, and it
was from what heard there that learned OF the
night. 1 got this Information Just in the
nick ,,, Of time and carried It With me
general failed to capture it that night as he had
hoped to do. Capt Adams ordered me to return
the way had come. 1 told him should be ar
did, and was arrested at Montgomery, and kept
In prison for seven months, until was snapped
of for Lieut. Sharpe, q prisoner in New York.
APPOINTED 10 COMMAND THE MONITOR.
"When got back was in wretched health,
my kidneys troubling me terribly. was In New
York when got letter from Commodore Joseph
Smith, chief Of bureau OF docks and yards, dated
January 18th, 1862 in which he said:
"T have only time TO say have named you for
| the command Of the battery under contract with
Capt. Ericsson. now nearly ready at New York.
This vessel is an experiment. believe you are
the right sort OF officer to put in command Of her
81 replied to this on the 18th: received your
letter OF the 18th inst. yesterday, and thank you
for the feeling which prompted you to name me
| for the command OF the Ericsson Battery. went
| Immediately to see her, and, after hasty exami-
| prove success. At all events I am quite willing
to be agent in testing her capabilities, and will
readily devote whatever OF capacity and energy I
that am to have the command would like to be
! ordered to ner as soon as possible, so that may
ties"
"My orders to the command OF the United States
| iron-clad steamer building by Captain Ericsson,
were dated on the same day-January 13, 1852.
DOUBTS ABOUT THE NEW VESSEL.
"Many experienced men doubted that the new
iron battery would ever float It was predicted
that she would 60 to the bottom when launched.
had confidence In her fighting qualities, though
knew she could not stand gale at sea. When
she WIS launched was inside OF her. She had no
smoke stacks, and the fires were kept going by
blowers. The blower holes, opening on the deck,
were covered with q bomb-proof grating, a. were
the smoke holes. Over these were low covers
of riveted boiler iron, designed to keep
the sea from washing in. These were only .
few feet h1gh-very lOw-and told Capt. Eric
sson that from my experience knew that any,
t Them He looked at me in contempsuous sort
OF way and turned aside without making any
reply. Afterwar1, when the vessel was about
II desired it he would make these shields higher.
replied that he need not change his plans on my
account; 1t no time for delays; 70 stick to his
own plans and would stand the consequences.
Capt. Ericsson had contempt for the opinions OF
others
bad state. The disease affected my nerves. and
could not Sleep was working hard to get ready
for the voyage, and was under great strain on &C
count Of my bad health was constantly under
the care Of the best physician in BROOKLYN, and he
insisted that was not able 70 put 70 Sea-thAt
could not stand service. told him that when the
Monitor sailed would be with her.
ORDERED TO HANPT0N BOAD4
ssFrom the Navy Department received the fol-
lowing order, dated Feb. 20 1802: Proceed with
the U. 8. steamer Monitor under your command.
to Hampton Roads, Va, and, on your arrival there,
report by letter to the Department Commodore
Pauldfng has been instructed to charter q vessel
to accompany the Monitor. provided none OF our
vessels are going South about the time she
eails .
ION March 9Th, under date OF the day before,
received the following letter nom Commodore
Paulding: when the weather admits you WIN
proceed with the Monitor, under your command.
to Hampton Roads, and on your arrival report TO
the senior officer there. have hired the steamer
James Freedom to tow the Monitor, and have
also directed the propelers Sachem and Curri-
tuck to attend on you to the mouth OF the Che6a-
| peake. II it shOuld be necessary TO retain them
| longer you are authorized TO do 90.
1--WE sailed on the 5th OF March and reached
Hampton Roads on the evening OF the 9Th. Every.
body has read Of that voyage. It was bad month
to make It, and there was popular anxiety a. 20
| the